The History Of Toyota's Sports Cars

Key Points:

• Toyota's sports car legacy began with the lightweight and aerodynamically advanced Sports 800 in the 1960s, followed by the iconic 2000GT, Japan's first supercar, which combined Yamaha-tuned engineering with stunning design.
• The Celica and Supra lines established Toyota's performance credentials through the 1970s to 1990s, with the Mk4 Supra becoming a 1990s icon due to its powerful 2JZ-GTE twin-turbo engine and balanced handling.
• The AE86 Corolla and MR2 further cemented Toyota's reputation for producing lightweight, driver-focused sports cars, with the AE86 notably influencing drift culture and the MR2 praised for its mid-engine layout and agility.
• After a period of fewer sports models, Toyota returned with the affordable and engaging FR-S/GT86/BRZ in 2011, and revived the Supra flagship in 2020 through collaboration with BMW, offering modern performance with mixed reception from purists.
• Toyota Gazoo Racing has pushed performance boundaries with rally-inspired hot hatches like the GR Yaris and GR Corolla, and is set to launch the GR GT, a road-legal race car hybrid supercar boasting over 641 horsepower and advanced aerodynamics by 2027.